Katinas Leonas

Artist, painter. Born in 1907 in Ampolya (Utena district). Died in 1984 in Vilnius.
Father of painter Linas Leonas Katinas. In 1933-1935 he studied at Kaunas Art School. In 1941-1945 he was an actor at the Šiauliai Drama Theatre. After graduating from the Vilnius Art Institute in 1948, he taught there until 1973 (associate professor – 1969). Since 1932 he has participated in exhibitions; individual exhibitions were held in Vilnius (1983, 1995, 1997, 2005), Klaipėda (2000).

The paintings of the early period (portraits, landscapes, thematic compositions) have features of academicism: “Market” (1946, LDM), “Radviliškis” (1949), “The Homestead of Writer Antanas Vienuolis in Anykščiai” (1956, LDM). The works of the 1960s are of a freer drawing, generalized forms (“In Nida”, 1967); still lifes depict folk sculptures (Still Life with Flowers and Folk Sculpture, 1965, LDM). The works of the 1970s-1980s are maximally abstracted, characterized by local color spots, multilayered texture, expressive strokes, and decorativeness: “At the Seaside” (1973), “Red Window” (1976), “Three White Apple Trees” (1977). The work of this period is rich in philosophical compositions on the theme of theater, in which the tragedy of human existence is conveyed with dramatic coloring (“Still Life with Dolls for Kristina” – 1970, “Memories from the Theater” II – 1974 (LDM), III – 1979).

About the work:

The painting of the early period (portraits, landscapes, thematic compositions) has features of academicism. The works of the 1960s have a freer drawing, generalized forms, folk sculptures are depicted in still lifes. The works of the 1970s are maximally abstracted, characterized by local color spots, multilayered texture, expressive strokes, and decorativeness. The work of this period is rich in philosophical compositions on the theme of theater, in which the tragedy of human existence is conveyed with dramatic coloring.
Prepared according to the LDM Artists Database.